Residents support Weld County's 51st state idea at meeting

Secession would require Congress' OK

FIRESTONE -- Weld County's quest to add "North Colorado" to the United States met with loud approval Monday night in southwest Weld.

Approximately 75 people gathered in the Southwest Weld Complex near Firestone to add their voices to the debate over whether to create the 51st state.

Most could agree on two things: there is a "disconnect" between rural Colorado and the Denver-Boulder area, and secession for northeastern Colorado should be put before the voters as soon as possible.

"It may just make a statement," acknowledged Harry McClintock of Frederick. "But doggone it, I really hope we succeed in doing it!"

About 11 northeastern counties, led by Weld, are exploring whether to put a statehood issue on November's county ballots. Under the Constitution, statehood requires approval by both the Legislature and Congress, so this initial vote -- if it takes place -- would be advisory, asking Denver to send a petition to Washington.

If the Legislature doesn't, Weld County Chairman Bill Garcia said, the corner of Colorado would have one more option: Ask voters to put a constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot requiring the Legislature to petition Congress.

If that sounds unlikely, Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway said, so did Broomfield becoming its own county. A statewide ballot in 1998 passed by a wide margin; the county was incorporated in 2001.

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Despite that, several North Colorado supporters acknowledged that a statehood fight would be an uphill battle at best.

"Forming a new state in the atmosphere we have now is much, much harder than it was 150 years ago," said Dan Oster of Kersey, referring to the last "breakway" state to join the Union, West Virginia in 1863.

"Is our intent really to form a new state?" Skip Ellington of Frederick asked. "Or is the intent really to send a message?"

Weld County Commissioners first announced their intentions in June, saying the Legislature was ready to profit from rural Colorado but not to listen to it.

On Monday, a long line of speakers ran down their list of grievances: gun regulation, oil and gas regulation, firefighter unionization and -- the breaking point for some -- Senate Bill 252, which doubled the amount of energy rural cooperatives would have to get from "green" sources.

Short of statehood, several also expressed support for a suggestion from Phillips County, that the Colorado constitution should be amended to have the Senate elect one member per county, rather than base both chambers on population.

Weld County will hold two more public comment sessions: today at the Evans Recreation Center, 1100 37th St., Evans; and Wednesday at the Ault Fire Department, 16680 Colo. Highway 14, Ault.

Meanwhile, Conway said, a number of people and even some businesses have expressed interest in moving to the new state.

"It's been the best economic development initiative we've had in a long time," he joked.

Boulder County resident Denny Zimmerer, wearing a hat, and most others attending Monday s meeting about carving a 51st state out of northern Colorado, raise their hands in agreement with the idea that a disconnect exists between the state Legislature and rural residents.
(
Greg Lindstrom
)